


Not-So-Secret Admirer

by Dreamin



Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: F/M, Older Man/Younger Woman, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22251064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: When Marta gets chocolates on Valentine's Day, she's convinced they can't be from Benoit.
Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera
Comments: 6
Kudos: 109





	Not-So-Secret Admirer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).

Jealousy was unbecoming in a man his age. Especially when the lady in question wasn’t his. No, he and Marta were just friends, though he hoped for more.

The swiftness of the development of his feelings for Marta should have surprised him, but it didn’t. She was a lovely woman, inside and out, and he was drawn to her from the start. Even in the middle of a murder investigation, he kept noticing little things about her. Jealousy sprang up quickly – it was ridiculous for him to be jealous of a damn German Shepherd, but that’s what he felt when she was affectionate towards Harlan’s dogs.

Then came that cocky brat Ransom. _When I told her to run, I didn’t think she’d run straight to him. But thank God, all of that Thrombey nonsense is over. _

These days, there weren’t many men for him to be jealous of. Marta still had to deal with the occasional would-be gold-digger, but he’d taught her what to look for. Her friends and family would try to matchmake, but Marta didn’t like anyone they’d found for her.

It was getting close to Valentine’s Day, the second Valentine’s Day after Harlan’s death, and Benoit knew Marta had been single for months. She’d never be interested in him romantically, his frequent fantasies notwithstanding, but he wanted to do something for her.

One quick Google search later and he had the perfect idea.

* * *

Marta woke up Valentine’s Day morning not wanting to get out of bed. She’d had the most delectable dream about Benoit and she didn’t want to lose a moment of it. Grabbing the small notepad and pen on the nightstand, she wrote down all of the details, both naughty and sweet, then she sighed quietly.

_It’s not like there’s even a chance I could have all of that with him in real life. He’s too much of a gentleman to “take advantage” of me. I don’t know how to convince him that a relationship with him is what I really want._ A glance at the alarm clock reminded her what day it was. “Oh God,” she groaned quietly, pulling a pillow over her face. _God knows what my family has planned. Please, no more matchmaking. The only person I want to be matched with isn’t interested._

Eventually, she reluctantly got out of bed, did her morning routine in the bathroom, then made her way downstairs. Her mother and Alice were having breakfast at the kitchen table, both of them smiling secretively.

Marta rolled her eyes as she made her way to the Keurig. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Alice said.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” her mother said.

“Today’s not Valentine’s Day,” Marta declared as she made her cup. “It’s simply just another day.”

“Tell that to your secret admirer,” her mother said, smirking.

“What?” Marta asked, turning to her and in the process, spilling powdered creamer all over the counter. “Shoot!”

“I’ll take care of that,” Alice said, jumping up. “You go see to your gift.”

_This must be serious,_ Marta thought, shaking head a bit. “Okay, okay. Where is it?”

“In the foyer.”

Shaking her head still at the absurdity of it all, she walked into the foyer and found a basket on the small wooden table she’d placed by the front door. It was full of her favorite chocolates, from Hershey’s Kisses to assorted Godiva, and there was a red satin ribbon tied to the handle. Tucked among the candy, she found a white envelope with her name on it.

Pulling out the card, she sat down on the stairs to read it.

_Dear Marta,_

_Sweets for the sweet, as they say. And no one is sweeter than you. I hope you accept this small token of my affection._

_Your Secret Admirer_

Immediately, her mind when to Benoit, but she shoved that thought aside. _He could do this, I suppose, but he’d never do this for me. It has to be someone else._ She got up then picked up the surprisingly heavy basket _(Good Lord, how much candy is in here?)_ and carried it to the kitchen then deposited it on the table.

Alice immediately reached for the bag of Kisses but her mother smacked her hand away. “Those are for Marta.”

“How did they get here?” Marta asked as she grabbed her forgotten coffee and sat down at the table.

“It was there when I went to get the paper,” her mother said. “On the porch, just waiting. No one was around.”

“So, it could have been there all night?” Marta asked.

“That, or Detective Blanc is a very early riser,” Alice said, smirking.

Marta blushed. “It wasn’t him, I’m sure of it. Benoit’s not interested in me like that.”

“It’s a good thing he’s the detective and not you,” Alice said. “You can’t see what’s right in front of you.”

Marta rolled her eyes. “We’re just friends.”

Her mother smiled a bit. “Is that why he made sure to be in town on Valentine’s Day?”

That piqued her interest. “Where did you hear that he’s in town?”

“He mentioned it on Facebook.”

“Wait, Benoit Blanc is on Facebook?”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Everyone is on Facebook.”

She quickly pulled up her phone then brought up Facebook and searched for Benoit. The latest message he’d posted was a single line, which Marta read aloud. “‘Heading to Boston for Valentine’s Day, I have unfinished business to take care of.’” She rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t mean anything, he’s probably wrapping up another case.”

“Uh huh.”

“What are your plans for the day?” her mother asked.

Marta shrugged. “Reading, maybe? Going to the movies or turning on the TV is a bad idea today, there’s nothing but romance.”

“What’s wrong with romance?”

“Nothing unless you’re single on Valentine’s Day.” She sighed heavily. “Can we talk about something else, anything else, please?”

* * *

Benoit took a deep breath to steady himself then he got out of the rental car and walked up to the house. It was the second time that day he’d been there and he had to admit the place looked much cozier in daylight than pre-dawn darkness.

Mrs. Cabrera and Alice met him on the front porch, both of them giggling like schoolgirls. They told him Marta was reading in the library. Steeling himself one more time, he walked into the house, hung his coat on the coat tree, and headed for the library.

Sure enough, Marta was curled up with one of Harlan’s books on the couch, not even looking up when he came in. “No, Alice, you can’t borrow my cardigan.”

Benoit chuckled, which made Marta look up at him, her eyes wide. “When I see your sister, I’ll be sure to let her know.”

Marta’s face lit up. “Benoit!” She got off the couch then hugged him tightly.

He grinned as he hugged her back. “Surprise! I take it you missed me?”

“Always. Please, sit down.” She sat down again and he sat next to her, his grin widening when he saw his basket on the coffee table.

“Somebody’s a chocoholic.”

Marta blushed. “Don’t mind that, someone sent it to me, probably as a joke.”

“Chocolates on Valentine’s Day? That doesn’t sound like a joke.”

“They signed the card ‘your secret admirer.’ Who still does that?”

Benoit cleared his throat nervously. “Someone who wanted to send you a gift without revealing their identity, naturally.”

Marta looked at him and he could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “Someone … like you?”

“Perhaps,” he said, not meeting her eyes.

“Benoit,” she said softly, “it’s Valentine’s Day. This isn’t a day for beating around the bush. If you have something to say … say it.”

He looked at her, smiling a bit. “I think you know what I’m going to say.”

“Then say it,” she said softly, encouragingly.

Benoit chuckled again. “I bought out the chocolate aisle at the grocery store because you, Marta, deserve someone who would do that for you.”

“But why wouldn’t you sign the card with your own name?”

He looked down at his hands, he couldn’t help it. “I didn’t think you’d want a Valentine’s Day gift from me.”

She took his hands, forcing him to look up to see her smile at him softly. “Well, you thought wrong.”

Benoit couldn’t remember the last time he felt so happy. He grinned. “Did I, now?”

Marta leaned towards him, murmuring, “So very wrong,” just before she kissed him.


End file.
